


First Day

by Loopstagirl



Series: Camelot_Drabble [136]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Kids!fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-01 11:34:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6516892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loopstagirl/pseuds/Loopstagirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Merlin's first day at school and he's already in trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights belong to their respective owners.  
> Written for the Camelot_Drabble prompt: First Day at School (characters had to be under 12)

“But I don’t want to go!” Merlin protested, his lower lip wobbling as he stared up at his mother with wide eyes. He wasn’t truly upset – he was _nine_ not a cry-baby – but he knew the expression let him get his own way.

“I know, darling,” his mum said. She leant forward, straightening his jacket and trying to smooth down an errant hair. “But you have to.”

“Why can’t I stay at home? I can teach myself!” Merlin thought it was a great idea. Forgetting to be upset, he beamed up at his mum, knowing he had found the answers to all their problems. He made to dash out of the room and find his books straight away, but his mother gently caught his arm.

“We’ve spoken about this, Merlin. You have to do it. Now come along, into the car.”

It didn’t matter how much he sulked and fought, it only took a few moments before they were pulling out of the drive. This was the third new school in two years and Merlin didn’t see why this one would be any better than the last ones. He didn’t say anything though, recognising the pinched expression on his mother’s face. Sighing, he stared out of the window at the unfamiliar neighbourhood. He wanted to make her happy and so kept quiet.

He remained silent even when she escorted him in and then again when the head-teacher took him to his new classroom. Looking at the floor, Merlin knew the best plan was to remain invisible. He managed it through the morning, hiding in the toilets at break and trying not to cry. He hated it here; why did they have to stay? But he knew he couldn’t say anything to his mum and she would be cross if he didn’t at least try and make friends.

But friends had never been drawn to Merlin. Trouble sought him out first. The same was true here. He was sitting at a table on his own, finishing his lunch. He wasn’t hungry, the sick knot in his stomach getting bigger with every swallow he tried to take.

“So,” a voice said. Merlin looked up to see three older boys leaning over him. He dropped his gaze, his body tense. “You’re the new kid.”

“Don’t be mean, Val,” one sneered. “He’s so tiny and breakable.”

“Leave me alone,” Merlin said quietly, his hands clenched into fists.

“We’re just trying to make friends,” the one called Val said. “Don’t you want to be our friend? Don’t you know what happens if you say no to our friendship?”

“Of course he doesn’t know, he’s new.”

Merlin had become adept at spotting trouble. It had been drilled into him over the last few years. But even though he tried to leap off the chair, one of the boys was behind him. There was nowhere for Merlin to go and he yelped as the larger boy grabbed his arms.

“Let him go, Cen,” another voice called. Merlin was pulled around to face the newcomer. A boy – one Merlin had seen in his class earlier – was leaning against the wall, arms folded. He looked completely unafraid of the older boys, raising an eyebrow at them. “I won’t ask again.”

Merlin felt his arms being released, but he was shoved to the floor before he could run away. Staying low, Merlin curled into a ball to make sure he presented less of a target.

“Protecting the new kids, Pendragon? Forgotten your lesson so soon?”

“I will never forget what you did.”

Merlin didn’t dare move – he could see Cen’s foot near him and knew if he tried to wriggle free, he would be kicked. It was how these things worked, but that didn’t mean he was going to encourage the pain. Val, however, had advanced on the newcomer.

“Stay out of this, Arthur.”

“No.” The boy straightened, but Val shoved him back against the wall.

“I won’t ask you again.”

“I’ll tell. Then you will get expelled.”

“Open your mouth and we’ll finish what we started.”

Merlin risked looking up. Unless he was mistaken, there was a fading bruise on Arthur’s face. But he didn’t look scared of the older boy looming over him.

“I’d like to see you try,” Arthur declared. Val drew back a fist and Merlin shouted a warning, forgetting that he didn’t know this boy and he should be keeping quiet. Arthur ducked under the blow and while Cen was distracted, Merlin wriggled out of the way. He lurched into an upright position.

“What’s going on here?” An adult voice called. Merlin saw his science teacher – a Mr Gaius – looking sternly over the group.

“Nothing, Sir,” Val said with a smirk. Mr Gaius looked at Arthur.

“Arthur?”

Arthur simply shrugged. Then, to Merlin’s surprise, the teacher looked at him.

“It’s Merlin, isn’t it? Is everything okay here?”

Merlin nodded. He knew if he said anything, he would be in even bigger trouble. Gaius shooed the older boys away, but as Merlin made to move, he was called back. As he turned, he saw that Gaius was gesturing to him. Merlin followed the old man, then realised that Arthur was as well.

“I’m Arthur,” the boy said, holding out a hand. Merlin awkwardly shook it.

“Merlin.” He waited for the comments, but Arthur’s face split into a wide grin.

“Awesome! We’ll be an unstoppable team!”

“You should really stop encouraging trouble, Arthur. What would your father say?”

Arthur’s face fell at the mention of his father. Merlin didn’t know what to say. He nudged Arthur with his elbow.

“I thought it was really brave,” he said. “Thanks for saving my life.”

Arthur’s grin returned and he nodded gallantly at Merlin as if saving newbies on their first day was something he did all the time. Merlin saw him relax as they moved away from the lunch-hall and knew he wasn’t the only one with problems.

It made him feel that Arthur would be on his side.


	2. Pinky Swear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin starts to get a hint at Arthur's home life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As these are all linked this time, I thought I would add it into one!

A knock on the door made Merlin’s head jerk up. He jumped to his feet and hurried to the door just as his mum opened it.

“Can Merlin come and play?”

Merlin grinned, knowing that voice. Ever since that first day at school, he and Arthur had been inseparable. Teachers knew not to split them up or chaos was the result and the rest of the school knew you didn’t pick on one without the other taking revenge. Arthur had stopped getting into so many fights and Merlin had found some of his missing confidence.

“I’m afraid not,” his mum said. She glanced at him and scowled. “Back on the step, Merlin.”

“But…”

“No buts. You know the rules. Back, now.”

Merlin scuffed his feet but did as he was told. The rules of being in “time out” were horribly unfair. It should be “time in”, for he wasn’t allowed to do anything but sit on the step and think about what he had done wrong. Merlin still thought his idea was great, that was the problem!

Luckily, the bottom stair was still in ear-shot of the door.

“Did you walk here by yourself, Arthur?”

Merlin didn’t hear Arthur’s reply, despite straining his ears. But the next thing he knew, Arthur had entered his house. Merlin half-rose but a warning look from his mother made him sit back down again with a scowl.

“At least have some juice before you go home,” his mum said, leading Arthur into the kitchen. Merlin’s scowl deepened. It was bad enough Arthur seeing him having to sit here like a baby, now he got to be a grown up and talk to his mum while Merlin just sat here. What made it worse was that he couldn’t hear anything other than the soft murmur of voices. There was nothing he could use to tease Arthur with later.

He knew his mum was distracting Arthur, just as he knew Arthur had come here by himself. She wouldn’t let him walk back alone – it was a long way to the Pendragon mansion and Merlin knew the area around here wasn’t a good place for a nine-year-old to wander alone. Arthur may have got here alone, but he wouldn’t be returning unaccompanied.

Merlin had just started to worry that he was thinking sensibly when he heard a crash from the kitchen and the sound of a glass breaking. He jumped from the step, not caring about some stupid argument. He knew what was about to happen.

Running into the kitchen, he saw Arthur pressed against the wall, tears spilling down his face and his whole body shaking as he started to breathe heavily. Merlin could hear his mum trying to reassure his friend that it was just an accident and that everything was okay, but he paid her no more attention than Arthur was. Instead, he slipped across the kitchen and curled his pinky around Arthur’s. Arthur immediately returned the pressure, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

Hunith watched them with an astonished expression. Merlin helped clean up the glass – carefully – while his mum sorted out Arthur. She took him upstairs and told him to get some sleep while he calmed down before phoning Arthur’s house and informing someone where he was. Then she turned to Merlin.

“How did you know?”

Merlin shrugged. “It happens at school,” he mumbled, feeling like he was betraying Arthur. “He can fight all the bullies but sometimes something just sets him off and he freaks out. I know how to calm him down and I can often see it coming.”

“Do you know why?”

Merlin scuffed his feet, unable to look at her. The next thing he knew, his mum was taking his hands in her own, crouching down in front of him.

“Answer me, Merlin.” Her voice was soft and gentle and Merlin could feel tears in his eyes as he looked up at her.

“I think it’s his dad,” he whispered. “He had this bruise once…”

He trailed off as his mum shut her eyes.

“Are you angry?”

“Not at you, love.” Before Merlin could protest he was too old, he had been pulled into a hug. “Why didn’t you tell someone? Tell me?”

“He said it was a secret,” Merlin murmured. “It’s not my place to tell.”

“Merlin…”

“We can’t tell anyone about our secret,” he whispered, “why should I tell people his when he asked me not to? Was I wrong?”

“No, darling. You were trying to protect your friend.” This time, Merlin hugged his mother back, feeling like he was the luckiest boy alive right now.

“There’s nothing we can do until he wakes up,” Hunith continued. She pulled back and looked her son in the eye, but Merlin could see her earlier anger at him had vanished. “I believe you hadn’t finished your time on the naughty step?”

“That’s so babyish, Mum,” Merlin whined. She grinned and gave him a playful swat.

 “I’ll increase it if you’re cheeky.”

“Mu-um.”

“Come on, Merlin, time-out time. And no more leaving tripwires in the bathroom!”

Merlin grinned and scampered back to the step. This time, he was thinking, but not about his attempt at an earlier prank. He was thinking about Arthur and how frightened he had been about an accident. Merlin had broken loads of glasses and his mum had never been angry, only scared that he might have hurt himself. Did Arthur’s dad even care?

Merlin settled into a more comfortable position on the bottom step, more commonly known as the naughty step. He didn’t mind this time though. Not when he knew it was his fault and that his mum would never punish him for something that wasn’t his fault. Nor would she ever do anything to hurt him.

Merlin rested his legs across the stairs as he waited for his session to finish. No one was going up to Arthur without his say-so. Whatever it took, he would protect his friend.


	3. Just a little Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin did not have time to be having a crush!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next Camelot_Drabble prompt: crush

After the incident with the glass, the two boys grew a lot closer. Merlin felt protective over Arthur in a way he had never experienced before and he had a feeling Arthur felt the same way about him, although Merlin had no idea why. It wasn’t as if Arthur knew what Merlin needed protecting from. 

Nothing was said about what had happened. At least, not to or between either of them. It didn’t escape Merlin notice that his mum was constantly encouraging him to invite Arthur over, but Merlin was hardly going to complain about constant permission for sleepovers. 

If people had thought they had been inseparable before, it was nothing compared to how they were by the time they had both turned ten.   

One lunch time, that bond was put to the test in a whole new way. One Merlin certainly didn’t see coming.  

“I did it last time,” Morgana said, tossing her hair. Gwen nodded next to her but Merlin knew she would. The two girls were almost like them in terms of their closeness.

“It has to be you, Merlin. You’re the only one who hasn’t got married.” 

Pretend weddings on the school field were the activity of the moment. Every lunch, someone was forced to get married. Morgana had indeed married Gwaine the day before and even Arthur had been forced to marry a horrible girl called Vivian.  Merlin really didn’t see what the fun was but now it was his turn, he was terrified. He made to shake his head when he realised Valiant and Cendred were off to one side, watching closely. Although the older boys wouldn’t join in such games, Merlin knew he couldn’t say no. 

He stepped forward nervously and timidly returned Morgana's beaming smile. 

“Who else?” she demanded, wanting to know who would be his wife.  Merlin shut his eyes at the silence. 

“I will,” an unexpected voice said. Merlin eyes shot open as Arthur stepped forward.  He stared at his friend and Arthur shrugged. Valiant fell about laughing and Merlin wanted the ground to swallow him.  But that feeling didn’t last when Arthur glared at Valiant.  There was such heat in his gaze that Valiant not only fell silent, he backed up a step. 

Morgana looked nervously at Arthur. “Are you sure? Your father...” 

“Won’t know.” 

Arthur’s voice was filled with such confidence that Merlin didn’t doubt him. He stepped forward and after one last nervous glance at Arthur – Merlin wasn’t sure how she knew about Arthur’s father but knew she was close to the family – so did Morgana. Arthur’s jaw was set and anyone who knew him knew he would not be persuaded otherwise.  Not because he was stubborn, but because this way, he was protecting Merlin.  

Morgana went ahead with her little ceremony while Gwen gathered daisies and handed them to Arthur, who immediately passed them to Merlin. Merlin scowled – he was  _not_ going to be the wife – and gave them back to Gwen. Morgana glared at all three of them but continued nonetheless.  

“I now pronounce you man and... man?” Morgana glanced hesitantly at Arthur, as if checking for his approval. Arthur nodded once and Merlin grinned. Then, before he knew what was coming, Arthur had kissed his cheek. 

“Eww!” Gwaine squealed, but it was the same reaction he had had when Morgana had done the same to him. Arthur grinned and started to wander off, his rescue mission over for the lunch break. Merlin watched him so he went to fetch the ball, and a group of them began kicking it about. Merlin touched his cheek gently.  

“Are you okay?” Morgana asked and Merlin nodded. His fingers lingered on his cheek and he stared after Arthur. He felt like he was in a daze, and it was not a sensation he was familiar with.  

In his ten-year-old mind, Merlin wondered if he had just fallen in love.  He had heard his mum speak of it in all sorts of ways, but he felt all warm and fuzzy inside and when he looked over at Arthur, he suddenly felt that heat rising to his cheeks. Horrified, Merlin looked down. If anyone realised... if Valiant saw... but no one was looking apart from Morgana and do her smile was far too knowing for Merlin liking. 

“What?” Merlin demanded, knowing what look his mother would have given him for his tone. But she wasn’t here and Merlin didn’t drop his stare. 

“Love hits us all at the most random of times,” she said seriously, sounding far older than ten. Merlin glared at her, but then realised she wasn’t even looking at him.  Instead, she was staring across at Gwaine with a dreamy expression on here usually serious face and Merlin knew he wasn’t in this alone. 

“What do I do?” he asked helplessly. To his surprise, Morgana tossed back here long hair with a laugh, causing the other boys to look over. 

“What else do you need to do?” she laughed.  “You’ve already married him!”  

With those words, she flounced off, looping her arm through Gwen’s and taking the other girl with her. Merlin stared after them, having a feeling Morgana had organised the whole thing.

He didn’t have long to brood though, for Arthur called his name at that moment, gesturing to the ball. Merlin nodded and quickly hurried over. He had never been able to deny Arthur anything and knew that wasn’t going good to change now. 

Just because he had a crush on the other boy didn’t mean they were suddenly going to stop being friends. It wasn’t like Arthur even had to know. Merlin was good at keeping secrets, he was sure he could keep this one. For as long as it took. 

His young mind made up, Merlin ran forward and forgot about his problems as he just enjoyed being an ordinary little boy like everyone else. Love would have to wait, he had more important things to do right now.  


	4. Hole in the Heart (Paper)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin had a very important question to ask Arthur.

His mother was going to kill him.

She would chop him into pieces before putting him back together so she could do it all over again.

Merlin shook himself, driving away the morbid thoughts. His mum would never do anything like that. She wouldn’t even threaten it, not considering the threats they already dealt with in their lives. But she was going to be angry.

Merlin wasn’t sure what was worse: sitting in detention with Arthur or the black eye emerging.  The school nurse had taken a look though and declared he would look like a boxer for a while but there would be no lasting damage. If she had hoped it would cheer him up, it had failed dismally. Merlin had spent the whole time watching Arthur. It hadn’t been a surprise when Arthur had refused to be looked at, staring at the nurse with such a haughty expression she hadn’t dared ask again.

Merlin knew he was lucky not to have been hurt. Apart from his pride, that was. It hadn’t taken Valiant much effort to get him on the floor. But Merlin had known that before he rushed into the fight. There was nothing else he could have done though, not when he heard the jeers and knew that Arthur had stated something once again.

Merlin didn’t know what was going on with his friend, but he could guess. Arthur hadn’t just been getting into more fights, he had been provoking them. Merlin did his best to stop him – or dive into the fray himself – but he knew it couldn’t continue. The only thing he could think of was Arthur’s father was making him act like this, but when he had tried to ask, Arthur had yelled at him and for the first time since their friendship began, they had spent a day not talking.

Merlin didn’t know if Arthur had forgiven him. There had been a horrified look on Arthur’s face when Merlin had hit the floor. He hadn’t stopped to help though but instead thrown himself at Valiant with a cry of rage. Thankfully, the older boys were serving their detention elsewhere; the teachers seemed to have realised putting Arthur and Valiant in the same room was asking for trouble.

Arthur had barely glanced at Merlin since they had taken their seats. Ripping a page out of his book, Merlin scrawled a message asking Arthur if he was okay and slipped it onto the boy’s desk when the teacher wasn’t looking. Arthur didn’t react though. Merlin tried again, this time asking if he was hurt, if there was anything he could do and finally coming out and asking if Arthur was ignoring him.

Even his last note was met with silence. Merlin sighed heavily, then tried to look innocent when Mr Muirden looked over at him. The man gave him a suspicious look, but Merlin kept his act up until the man looked back to his marking. Then Merlin glanced at Arthur again. Arthur’s back was rigid and he was staring straight ahead. He wasn’t even pretending to do his homework like they were supposed to be. His hands were scrunched into fists on his knees. Merlin realised Arthur had been tense since their pretend marriage almost a week ago. Had Arthur been bluffing when he said that his father wouldn’t find out? Was all of this Merlin fault because Morgana had noticed that he liked Arthur more than he should?

Biting his lip, Merlin glanced at his desk, then back to Arthur. If this was his fault, he had to fix it somehow; it was what his mother would have said.

Tearing out another page, Merlin traced his pencil over the lines. He sketched the boxes carefully, making sure the squares were neat and Arthur had no reason to mock him. Once he was sure he had made them even as he could, he wrote his question out carefully and then slowly wrote yes or no under the boxes. He was nervous, more nervous than he thought he would be. If Arthur gave the wrong answer, Merlin wasn’t sure what he would do.

He slid the piece of paper onto Arthur’s desk and pretended to look the other way like it didn’t matter. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Arthur closely. It only took a few seconds before Arthur glanced down, then seemed to do a double take.

“Of course, you idiot!” He exclaimed loudly and Merlin winced. The boxes had been there for a reason and now the teacher was looking over.

“You’re supposed to be studying in silence. “

“But Merlin is being such an _idiot!_ ”

Merlin didn’t think Arthur needed to put so much emphasis on  the insult. After a few stern words and the threat of staying over lunch the next day, Arthur fell silent. But he kicked Merlin on the ankle. Merlin kicked him back; it was how they always reminded each other they were there for each other. Arthur thought it was a great code, Merlin thought it was stupid but as normal, Arthur had got his way.

They were finally free. School was strange this late but Merlin knew his mum would be waiting.  For them both, no doubt, for there wouldn’t be anyone there to pick up Arthur.  He should have been nervous about her reaction, but he couldn’t. Arthur had shoved the paper back in his hand as they had left.

Merlin took his scolding with good grace, and his reaction meant is mother let him off with doing the dishes after they had dropped Arthur home. Finally, his heart pounding hard, Merlin was alone in his room and unfolded the piece of paper.

_Do you like me?_

Arthur had torn a gaping hole in the paper from where he had scribbled in the _yes!_ box for too long and pressed too hard.

The rip in the paper mended any weakness in their friendship and put a wide grin on Merlin face.


End file.
